COLLIER'S PLUCKY CREW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11729, 20 June 1916, Page 5

COLLIER'S PLUCKY CREW.

FIGHT WITH U BOAT. News was received in South Shields on Tuesday, May 2,»0f a fight in the North Sea between the British collier Wandle (889 tons), armed for defence, and a German submarine. The Wandle sailed from the Tyne shortly after six o'clock on the previous Saturday morning, with coal i'or the Wandsworth and Wimbledon Gas Company. She was attacked without warning, the 6ub~ manno firing at her from a distance ot about a mile, but just missing the starboard bow. The submarine was then seen abeam, travelling at a good speed in the same direction as the Wandle, and apparently trying to close in It is said that the submarine had been cruising with a sail set so as to conceal her identity. Captain _ Mastib put his helin hard over to bring the submarine astern, gave orders to man the gun, and to get the boats ready. One of the officers saw what looked like the wake of a torpedo, but if it was so the projectile passed clear of the Wandle, which was steering an irregular course. A second shot fired by the submarine carried away part of the port lifeboat and davits, and shrapnel fragments wounded a fireman, Selby Eobson, but not seriously. \The Wandle's gun was quickly got into position and a duel ensued for about half and hour, each ship firing sis rounds. The first three shells from tho Wandle fell into the sea close to the (submarine, which then made no further attempt to get nearer. The German's third shot passed over tho Wandlo's bridge, and the concussion knocked tho captain down; the fourth cleared the port bow; tho fifth struck tho starboard bulwarks and hatchcombings; and the sixth was ineffectual. The Wandle then returned to the Tyno and landed tho injured man. The engineers and firemen pluckily stuck to their posts during, the fight, and the discipline on deck was also splendid The chairman of the Wandsworth Gas Company, Mr H. E. Jones, has presented the captain with £25, and the crew are to be given £IOO.